Compare and contrast Faust Part One by Goethe and Candide by Voltaire - Book Report/Review Example

Download file to see previous pages This research will begin with the statement that the greatest of German man of words and a genius of the highest order, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe was born on August 28, 1749, at Frank fort, being main. He distinguished himself as a scientist, artist, musician, philosopher, theatre director, novelist, playwright, short story writer, critic, memoirist, biographer, and librettist. His works show the extraordinary fertility and versatility of the genius of the man. “Faust” is without a doubt the greatest and most representative expression of Goethe’s powers. A masterpiece of mythic proportions “Faust” ranks as a great tragedy drama but it is the result of Goethe’s brooding on the mystery of human life, shadowed forth in the symbolic parts and elaborated with still greater complexity and still more far reaching suggestiveness. It is a two part retelling of the legend of Faust, the scholar who gives the devil a chance to barter his soul in return for unconstrained knowledge and eternal life. In the twenty-first century, Faust continues to be regarded as Germany’s greatest contribution to world letters and one of the most important works of the western civilization. Born in Paris, Francois-Marie Arouet was better known by the pen-name Voltaire which he adopted in 1718. He was a French enlightenment writer, essayist, deist and philosopher known for his wit, philosophical sport and defense of civil liberties, including freedom of religion....
(Voltaire. 2006).
"Let us work without theorizing," said Martin," 'tis the only way to make life endurable." (Chapter 30, pg. 149) The young hero's name in Voltaire's 'Candide', Candide suggests a simple personality. He has seen many ups and downs in his life yet his teacher's teachings on Optimism raise his spirits through out. He has always been told that they are living in the best of situations. To which he has said," It this is the best of all possible worlds, what are the others" (Chapter 6, pg. 25). He is uniformly portrayed as a considerate man who is worried about other people's distress and wants to extend a helping hand whenever he can. There is a constant search to maintain peace and have a harmonious environment. He is not looking for peace for himself only but wants the whole world to be a better place. He is perturbed when he sees one human being killing the other. He killed the monkeys whom he saw running after two naked women. He is a man of high moral which brings him some relief in the mis-happenings of the world. He says," Do you think man has always massacred each other, as they do today Have they always been liars, cheats, traitors, brigands, weak, flighty, cowardly, envious, gluttonous, drunken, grasping, and vicious, bloody, backbiting, debauched, fanatical, hypocritical and silly" (Chapter 21, pg 25) Despite his terrible experiences, Candide maintains that things happen as they did for a reason and that all is for the best and he is slow to give up on his faith. He forgets the abuses he witnessed and suffered, and he sees Jacques' kindness as a vindication of Pangloss's optimism. According to Pangloss, private misfortunes are directly proportional to the general good; ...Download file to see next pagesRead More